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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · jam · ball · temple · clip · current · bear · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. current — happening now
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. current — electric
  7. file — a line of people
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. file — a document
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — for paper
  19. file — a tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. clip — a video
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com